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Location:
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Central South America, northeast of Argentina
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Geographic coordinates:
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23 00 S, 58 00 W
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Map references:
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South America
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Area:
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total: 406,750 sq km
water: 9,450 sq km
land: 397,300 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than California
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Land boundaries:
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total: 3,920 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked)
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked)
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Climate:
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subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
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Terrain:
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grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m
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Natural resources:
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hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
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Land use:
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arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 94.25% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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670 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country
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